Sponsor presents bill to guarantee student political clubs access to Georgia public schools

A sponsor of Senate Bill 552 told a legislative committee that the measure would protect public high school students’ First Amendment rights to organize and express political views in the same way schools permit nonpolitical student activities. "Basically, the bill makes it clear that public school students in Georgia must be permitted to engage in political activities and expression before, during, and after the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that students may engage in nonpolitical activities and expression," the sponsor said.

The sponsor said the bill is viewpoint neutral and would apply to both partisan and nonpartisan groups, adding that schools would retain authority to maintain order and discipline. "Nothing in this code section shall be construed to limit the authority of the public school or its employees to maintain order and discipline on school premises," the sponsor said.

A committee member offered an amendment (AM610030) that would have defined civic or political events and allowed local school boards to adopt model policies granting students two excused absences per year to attend political events. The sponsor opposed adding excused‑absence language, saying the proposal had been considered and rejected in the Senate. "We actually had that as an amendment in the Senate...and it was voted down," the sponsor said.

The committee voted down the excused‑absence amendment after brief discussion. The chair then called for passage of the main bill; the committee approved it and sent SB552 to the rules calendar. The sponsor named a House member as the chamber carrier and noted support from groups the sponsor said include the ACLU and Georgia Baptist organizations.

The bill would require schools that choose to open facilities on a nondiscriminatory basis to make similar access available to student political groups, while preserving a school’s ability to enforce dress codes, discipline and voluntary attendance. The committee advanced the bill to the rules committee; no final legislative action occurred at the hearing.